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Campbell Elementary School was one of the schools slated to close under the Springfield Public Schools facility master plan,set to be voted upon on Dec. 13, 2016.(Photo: News-Leader File Photo)Buy Photo

After falling just a few percentages points short of passing a $189 million bond measure in April, Springfield Public School leaders could have simply rallied the troops, attempted to get out more “yes” votes, and given it another go with the same plan for district facilities.

Strategically, that might have been defensible.

But district leaders made a concerted effort in the months that followed the vote to find out why nearly 50 percent of voters declined to support the bond measure. Still, armed with that information, the district could have focused on making counter arguments or reframing their positions.

Perhaps more outreach and tweaked messaging could have made up the 7 points the district needed.

Fortunately, school leaders appear to have taken to heart the concerns of those who voted in opposition to the measure.

While SPS’s revamped plan won’t make everyone happy, it includes several major changes that show officials aren’t just trying to win over voters, they’re trying to meet them halfway.

Most notably, the district has scrapped the idea of constructing more combined campuses. While the cost savings of sharing a kitchen could have been beneficial, leaders recognize it’s a model that families don’t want. While some schools will see increased enrollment, the plan appears to take a more measured approach to altering boundaries while trying to keep schools as small as possible.

Similarly, it appears they’re trying to limit school closures, keeping as many neighborhood schools as possible and looking at renovation options when possible. For those who worried about big, empty buildings in struggling neighborhoods, the district is making more concrete plans for those buildings’ uses.

Additionally, the plan to repurpose those buildings for expanded early childhood education fills a great need in this community, made possible by improved state funding that will provide dollars specifically for such programs.

Still, we expect school leaders to continue listening and talking with voters in the coming months, make adjustments as necessary and clearly explain their vision – which should be increasingly based on what they’re hearing from people of the district.

Based on the adjustments already made, we’re confident SPS will continue to listen and will present a plan that a great majority of voters can support.